The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-04-22
The following letter written by an
cold timer" now resident of Nebraska
will be read with interest.

The following letter written by an
"old timer" now resident of Nebraska
will be read with interest.
| KIRKwOOD, NEBRASKA, April Is, 1887.
Col. JOHN c. STEARNs, BRADFORD, VT.
My old friend-I have before me late copy
of the UNITED OPINION, sent to me by my
| brother Lewis, in Iowa. Coming as it did
| from my native town, as matter of
course, read it, eagerly looking for familiar
Names more than for news items. Though
each item that had in it a familiar name,
proved intensely interesting, not only as
current news, but that it sent memory trav-
cling back to twenty, forty, fifty years ago
| in Bradford
r The first familiar anil name me, l. Piss;
days when Ed Bliss drove old "Beckey"
and "Ben'' as he called his horses, whistling
along, ed was always whiStling those
days. with anywhere from two to dozen
boys on his wagon, for he had to be in big
hurry or heavily loaded, when he did not
a ride. remember ('twas in haying time,
1897 rode on his hay rack to the meadow
near Baldwin bridge, as it was then called.
When he had his load ready to start for
home, "Eph" Martin passed me up with his
fork, l took hold of the tines of the fork and
was safely loaded. l had nice ride till we
had got over the bridge below Col. Barron's
old red mill, ION the site now occupied by
the brick milD when the load went over
and went under When Ed dug me out l
had broken foot by having it caught some
where. DR.. Poole being away, Squire Aus
tin fixed the foot. Well did not banker
after any more rides on a load of hay that
10 OF fir,,n T II,
as he is now called, was election day (pres
dentiaD Nov. 1852 The men are not very
plenty who have naturally more good quail
tiles than Edmund p. Bliss, though there
are plenty who have less
Twenty years ago this summer went
back to Bradford. At White River juno
ton met George Baldwin, on his way
home from Brighton, where he and James
Armstrong had been with cattle. l enjoy
ed the visit with him and got heap of news
about Bradford, generally, and the old South
Road in particular.
In the obituary of Mr.. Redington, no
tice the name of Col. John c. Stearns. Do
met that bright summer morning fOrty-four
years ago? How we discovered that our
names were alike and that we were thirteen
years old, and (wonderful cOincidence)
should both be twenty-One in eight years,
do you remember it? Well, John, we are
long way DcyoHu tlc Gnu VI Jul reckoning
that morning, and am growing old, the
few dark hairs left in hair and beard are
getting lonesome. How is it with you, is
there coincidence STILL or did you stop
with the wagon? Is your hair and beard
the same glossy, dark brown as in days of
yOre, while have been trudging along with
the bundle over the ridge?
Joseph II. Peters having faithfully pur-
sued the course chosen by him in his young
manhood, was at his death, worthy the
commentator given him in the OPINION.
The name of Andrew B. Peters brings up
the picture of the old Squire as he walk
ed briskly into the Congregational church,
and, just before the preacher came in, when
the congregation were nearly all in, rise in
way publish as follows: 81 am requested
to give notice that marriage is intended be-
tween" then followed the names of the con-
tracing parties, then drop to his seat look
ing around to see how his news was TAKEN
l remember how pleased the old man would
look when his publishing" was surprise
to his hearers as it not unfreQuently was.
Six times have Mr.. and Mrs. Barber been
brought to appreciate the sentiment of the
poet who put it into the mouth of an old
man to say
''And though our house was crowded,
Empty it seemed that day
When little Nellie lay there by the hearth
And mOaned her life away"
Knowing as they do in whom they have
trusted all the years of their married life
Knowing that their loved ones are mot lost
but gone before" their last days though
lonely will be their best days. COmforted
by the reflection that all along the years
they have followed the precepts of their Di-
vine Master COmfOrted the bereaved
soOther, the sorrOwing and relieved, the |
distressed as they had opportunity.
Now John to change the subject and |
style, of this letter, already too long, want |
to ask if Henry A. Winship is the only |
in Bradford? If he is, where do |
YOU, get your dry goods, groceries, clothing,
etc ? Do you go to East COrinth or Pier